be penny-wise and pound-foolish
US /bi ˈpɛni waɪz ænd paʊnd ˈfuːlɪʃ/
UK /bi ˈpɛni waɪz ænd paʊnd ˈfuːlɪʃ/
1.
ser penny-wise and pound-foolish, economizar no pequeno e gastar no grande
to be careful and economical in small matters while being wasteful or extravagant in large ones
:
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He tried to save money by buying cheap parts for his car, but ended up spending more on repairs. He was penny-wise and pound-foolish.
Ele tentou economizar dinheiro comprando peças baratas para o carro, mas acabou gastando mais em reparos. Ele foi penny-wise and pound-foolish.
•
The company decided to cut corners on quality control to save a small amount, which led to major product recalls. They were truly penny-wise and pound-foolish.
A empresa decidiu cortar custos no controle de qualidade para economizar uma pequena quantia, o que levou a grandes recalls de produtos. Eles foram realmente penny-wise and pound-foolish.